Press Releases

RTÉ GOES WILD

Throughout May, RTÉ will mark the changing of the seasons with a month-long celebration of Ireland’s wildlife. In a month of programming and content across all platforms, a series of documentaries and special programmes will focus on Ireland’s birds, flowers, animals and insects. Through a website, a schools mail-out, a new book and a special wildlife insert in the RTÉ Guide, RTÉ is inviting audiences to join in celebrating the unique heritage and beauty of Ireland’s landscape and wildlife.

Director-General Noel Curran said: “RTÉ, with its long-established track record in nature-themed programming, is excited and proud to spear-head a celebration of what is wonderful about Ireland’s natural history, landscape and biodiversity. We hope that this campaign will prompt individuals and families across the country to appreciate some of what remains amazing and captivating about Ireland.”

TELEVISION
Starting with the first episode of the highly-anticipated series Secrets of the Irish Landscape on 5th May and culminating with RTÉ Goes Wild - Bioblitz Ireland, 2013, RTÉ One will feature nature-themed content throughout May. Other highlights include the premiere of The Secret Life of the Shannon, a new series which brings viewers on a wonderful journey along the River Shannon and Save our Seahorses, a powerful documentary that follows Irish marine biologist Kealan Doyle on a fascinating journey from Sumatra to Hong Kong. Meanwhile, tRTÉ’s Sinéad Kennedy and the team at RTEjr will head up a range of nature-themed activities, special reports and competitions aimed at younger viewers.

RADIO
RTÉ Radio 1 will broadcast the spectacular Dawn Chorus through the night on 4th May, live from Cushkinny Marsh Nature Reserve in Cobh, Co. Cork, with Mooney Goes Wild as always on Fridays. Other highlights include Nature on One, a 10-part radio documentary series with Emmy Award-winning wildlife cameraman and television presenter Colin Stafford-Johnson which sees him on the hunt for some of our most remarkable animals. There will also be another chance to hear Shank’s Mare; the popular Radio 1 series which follows Ella McSweeney as she goes walking around the country and introduces us to the people, flora and fauna she meets along the way. And Don Conroy will be sharing his lifelong love of nature on Don’s Wild Watch, an 8-part series on RTÉjr Radio. A wealth of additional offerings from the RTÉ Radio Archives will be available on the RTÉ Radio Player.

ONLINE & MOBILE
Weaving together this wealth of content on TV and radio, www.rte.ie/rtegoeswild will be a wilderness hub. The dedicated site will provide full details of the month’s RTÉ Goes Wild content as well as offering hidden archived gems of wildlife programming available on the RTÉ Player on www.rte.ie/player with short wildlife clips and a wonderful array of wildlife photography from RTÉ Archives. Information on competitions and events and how to get involved will be available on the site. Facebook and Twitter accounts – hashtag #rtegoeswild - across RTÉ will be also be alive with wildlife conversation, and there will be additional information on www.youtube.com/rte.

BioBlitz Ireland 2013
Over and above exploring some of the broadcast content and online resources, there are opportunities to get involved by getting down to one of the Bio Blitz dedicated locations and watch the survey of our nation’s wildlife in action. RTÉ Weather are also calling on all amateur photographers to capture Irelands’ varied and unique flora and fauna in for a very special RTÉ Weather Competition, which is open now and runs to Friday 24 May 2013. Details on how to apply can be found on www.rte.ie/rtegoeswild